Research into eye movement during the visual reading process began around 1879 by a French ophthalmologist, Professor Emile Javal. He concluded that the eyes stop on every word while reading. Professor Javal showed that the eyes could process several letters, and possibly multiple words per glance. He further determined that rather than move in a continuous sweeping motion, the eyes move in alternating jumps and pauses across a line of text. The jumping movements, called saccades, take approximately 20 milliseconds, while the pauses (referred to as fixations) last approximately 150-300 milliseconds. It is only during the fixations, when the eyes are still, that reading can take place.
The US Air Force originally used tachistoscopic devices to aid pilots in identifying aircraft by gradually reducing the size and time of flashing images. This technique was later adapted to flashing words. Though showing promise, the technology of the time limited its practical use.
From its inception the computer has been under scrutiny with regard to human interaction. Countless studies and experiments have been conducted specific to productivity and how conveyance of the written word could be communicated more effectively. Though modern computers offer many possibilities for the display of text not available previously, most computer applications display text in a way similar to that of paper. Not only does this not take advantage of the possibilities available through computer technology, but in many ways is inferior to that of paper. One alternative, however, uses a completely different approach. Rather than emulating the look of a page, the zero eye movement (ZEM) method (also referred to as rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP)) presents words singularly or in small groups, replacing one image by another within the same field of focus. Information delivered with this method eliminates the time wasted while moving the eyes and improves reading speed. This delivery technique also reduces eye muscle fatigue and in turn, the effects associated with disabilities such as Muscular Degeneration and Dyslexia, as well as assisting those with impaired vision. Though products based upon this technique have been offered, none have been commercially successful. This may be explained by the fact that the flow of the information has been independent of its comprehensibility to the user.
This method describes a process of displaying words in a manner which takes into account context, number of characters, relevance, similarity and familiarity. Through analysis of the text for these characteristics, values are assigned to each word and display is effected dynamically. My invention analyzes documents, creates a table of values for each word, analyzes each word in relation to others in each sentence, paragraph and document and then assigns to it a value which is used to display the word in a manner most conducive to comprehension. In addition to the length of time each word is displayed other means of varying emphasis are employed. These include the varying of color, size, transparency background and position on the screen. Although the main use of such analysis is for the display on an electronic device the values could also be used to vary the appearance of printed text.
Analysis of documents to determine the difficulty for the reader has long been practiced. For instance, Gunning's Fog Index derives a readability quotient by counting the number of characters, words, sentences, and paragraphs, and then through a formula of averaging and calculation assigns a grade of difficulty. Other similar analysis methods have been developed for individual words for assessing values to words as objects.